[DF] Anger Management -- Minotaurs, Bad Temper and Berserk

[Stripe]

Greetings!

There are no right or wrong answers here, unlike most of the threads that I start. ;)

Somehow--probably because I never pay much attention to my player's disadvantages at all--it's always managed to escape me that minotaurs (Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level, p. 14) have both Bad Temper and Berserk. Wow is that ever a powder keg.

How do you, as a game master or as a player either one, handle such a volatile combination?

If you GM, do you allow minotaurs and if so, how have you dealt with this issue? How has it played out in your games?

If you play a minotaur, how has that been working out for you? Or, did the GM allow you to substitute another disadvantage?

Looking forward to hearing some stories, too! :)

[Gnome]

No one has ever dared play a minotaur in our games (Berserk alone is pretty suicidal), but my advice would be to bring a damn good healer along if you're going to try...

[Stripe]

More than that!

Since any stress may trigger Berserk ("YOU SCUFFED MY HELLO KITTY HOOF POLISH!!!"), and Berserkers may attack friends when no enemies are around, you better bring one of those Silence of the Lambs stretcher restraint deals! XD

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Stripe

More than that!

Since any stress may trigger Berserk ("YOU SCUFFED MY HELLO KITTY HOOF POLISH!!!"), and Berserkers may attack friends when no enemies are around, you better bring one of those Silence of the Lambs stretcher restraint deals! XD

Minotaur Hannibal looking at the Coleopteran "I'd have white wine with that, I think. MOOOO."

More seriously, I'd ask the player to buy the self-control rolls up to 15. Berserk + Bad Temper are crazy scary in game play. I had a player kill his character accidentally over a spilled cup of coffee. Never let anyone buy that combo of disadvantages at that level again.

[ajardoor]

Well, that is why the Minotaur racial template isn't uselessly expensive - also, it fits the fantasy stereotype well to have those disadvantages.

Also helps give any Minotaur enemies you throw at the party weaknesses they can exploit while still being a threat.

Similar reasons why the Coleopteran template is affordable.

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by Stripe

How do you, as a game master or as a player either one, handle such a volatile combination?

By making certain the berserk has sufficient passive toughness to survive the inevitable results of their insanity, and that the rest of the characters each have a way to one-shot-kill and/or one-shot-incapacitate the berserk for when it turns on them.

[gilbertocarlos]

Heavy armor and equipment on the berserker, combine it with selling movement.
If he only manages to move 3y/s, because he is carrying DR6 armor, a dueling halberd, a backup dueling halberd, 5 throwing axes, his equipment and some equipment of his friends, the party could run away from him until he is back up on track. And, if he tries to throw something, they could drop and dodge while AOD, stand up and keep running away.

[mlangsdorf]

Peter Dell'Orto wrote a pretty good article on keeping berserker's alive in combat: http://dungeonfantastic.blogspot.com...s-wingman.html

As far keeping yourself alive when the berserker stubs his toe, have the party spell-casters keep some spell around that can incapacitate the berserker and is resisted by Will. Mental Stun, Command, and Fascinate are all resisted by Will and have short casting times. They won't stop a berserker, but they can slow one down long enough for people to come up with a better plan. Perfect Illusionary targets give the berserker someone to take his frustrations out on, and a new Self-Control roll every time he kills one.

[Stripe]

Currently, I'm considering using spells from Magic to help with the situation.

Really, any spell that takes the PC minotaur out that is resisted by IQ or Will, 8 for both by default, will do it. Persuasion (M28); Panic (M134); Mental Stun (M135); Fascinate (M135); Loyalty (M136); if the GM is willing, perhaps Emotion Control (M137); Mindlessness (M137); Relieve Madness (M39) if the GM rules it works on Berserk as by RAW, it doesn't; Charm (M139); Ecstasy (M139), though this may harm the subject; and Enthrall (M139). There are others, but any one of those should do the trick.

[Stripe]

Originally Posted by mlangsdorf

As far keeping yourself alive when the berserker stubs his toe, have the party spell-casters keep some spell around that can incapacitate the berserker and is resisted by Will.

We double posted! X)

I PM'ed you too, by the way.

As I was researching the issue and looking up spells, man, did it really illustrate just how bad of a weakness minotaurs have with such low IQ and Will both. I mean, I always knew, but there are so many one-shot spells that can easily take these guys out of the fight.

Much worse, though, I realized just how easily they can be magically turned against the PC party.

As PC's, these guys are a double-headed axe for sure.